What is Blue Apron & how was it created?

Founded in the confines of their apartment in New York City, Matt Salzberg, Illia Papas, and Matt Wadiak envisioned and footed the roots of Blue Apron in 2012.

Despite having different career paths, the three have forged meal kit delivery service by starting with a few orders which they individually hand packed.

Banking on positive feedback from friends and recurring customers, the three aimed to bring the experience of being your own chef with quality produce and specialty ingredients to everyone.

As the name suggests, Blue Apron is for everyone who is new to cooking or someone who knows how to cook but is quite tired of overthinking what to prepare with very little time.

Blue aprons are worn by beginner chefs to signify learning. In this period of so many deadlines to meet and work to do, who has the time to visit a grocery store before enjoying a classic meal?

That’s what meal kit delivery services are for.

Choose from the wide array of meal recipes and let Blue Apron handle the rest.

From Blue Apron’s two main categories, Signature meal kits and Vegetarian meal kits, you can get to enjoy 2-4 and 2-3 recipes each week, respectively.

Inside every box of meal kit from Blue Apron, you get their curated recipe cards and fresh ingredients packed with ice packs in insulated bags to keep their freshness.

Each week, Blue Apron offers 9-10 recipes with variations ranging from vegetarian to an array and a mixture of well-balanced meals for either two or four servings.

Although not available every week, Blue Apron helps the consumer by pinning their available categories for the week such as recipes with 600 Cal or less, Mediterranean Diet, Carb Conscious, and the like.

Their recipes can be prepared for 30-45 minutes depending on the complexity of the dish.

Blue Apron also readily provides nutritional information for each recipe.

Although Blue Apron suggests that they offer a wide variety of dietary preferences, choices may be a bit limited each week.

Like other meal kit delivery services, you have to be wary of the meals you choose as Blue Apron assembles all their meal kits in a single facility, so the risk of having allergens in your food is possible.

Blue Apron works with many family-run farms to support sustainable practices while providing their customers with quality ingredients.

Despite having very limited weekly offers, Blue Apron actually has a wide variety of available recipes throughout the year.

The catch is you have to stay tuned to get a chance to try some of their best sellers for certain categories.

Blue Apron has 2 major categories for their weekly dishes:

• Signature dishes gives you the chance to choose from an array of meat, fish, Beyond Meat™, WW™ Approved, Diabetes-friendly, and health-conscious recipes. This selection may either be for 2 servings or 4. You can enjoy Blue Apron’s meals with your family.
• Vegetarian recipes highlight Blue Apron’s meat-free dishes with the best seasonal produce. Savor Beyond Meat™ and its glory whenever they’re available!

Browsing through Blue Apron’s cookbooks, you will be able to find over a hundred recipes neatly categorized into subclasses.

To help you choose which dishes to watch out for so you can plan when to order, Blue Apron has categorized their cookbook by three major selections.

1. Main ingredient

Filter the recipes you will be choosing from by the main protein, and the star of the dish. Choose from beef, fish, lamb, pork, poultry, shellfish, or you can choose from the vegetarian section.

2. Cuisine

If you’re looking for a specific dish from a country you’ve been to before, Blue Apron might just be able to help you. You can easily browse their cookbook and choose from their listed 27 different countries. Although you might have to check up on their upcoming menus, waiting might just take a while. Nevertheless, this just shows the variety of Blue Apron’s services.

3. Seasonal recipes

One of the most interesting parts of Blue Apron’s cookbooks is that they offer recipes that are limited by season. Some of their best-selling recipes are even seasonal. In this selection, they also let you take a peek at what was offered last week and let you plan with the recipes offered for the next week. Look forward to making your meals special with their meal kits exclusively available and expertly curated for Fall, Spring, Summer, and Winter.

Yes. Blue Apron is a great tool for those looking to lose weight, as the company provides a wide range of health-conscious meal options.

These include meals approved by WW (Weight Watchers), diabetes-friendly meals, and meals that are part of the Mediterranean diet, renowned for its heart-health and weight-loss benefits.

The macronutrient profile of their meal recipes is often quite balanced, promoting a healthy distribution of calories.

While the exact macros can vary based on the specific recipe, many meals typically hover around 500–800 calories per serving with a balanced mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Protein sources often come from lean meats, fish, or plant-based alternatives like Beyond Meat™, while carbs are usually derived from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

The meals also include a good amount of fiber from these whole foods, which can aid in digestion and contribute to a feeling of fullness. Healthy fats are incorporated into ingredients like avocados, olive oil, and nuts.

With a total commitment to providing recipes with varied, balanced nutrition, Blue Apron offers an effective way for their customers to manage their weight while also enjoying a diverse and flavorful diet.

Absolutely, Blue Apron is a great option for vegetarians, offering a dedicated Vegetarian plan that highlights fresh, seasonal produce and an array of plant-based proteins.

They strive to put together recipes that are not only nutritious but also satisfying and delicious, aiming to bring variety into the vegetarian diet beyond the standard fare.

The company’s Vegetarian meal plan is replete with a diverse range of vegetables from leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard to vibrant bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and more.

They make use of a variety of beans and legumes, grains like quinoa and farro, and plant-based proteins, including tofu and black bean patties, to ensure their meals are rich in protein and balanced in terms of nutrition.

A meal like the Coconut Vegetable Curry with Jasmine Rice, for instance, is a vibrant, aromatic vegetarian dish you should definitely try out in your kitchen.

It features assorted fresh veggies in a creamy coconut curry sauce, served atop fluffy jasmine rice that is simply delicious and nutritious.

Zesty Pork Chorizo Tacos with Lime Mayo & Garlic-Cotija Potatoes is another vegetarian Mexican dish from Blue Apron you’re sure to love.

It showcases spiced chorizo-filled soft tacos, drizzled with tangy lime mayo, accompanied by savory garlic-infused potatoes generously sprinkled with rich, crumbled cotija cheese. Simply delicious!

Each of these meals combines taste, nutrition, and a dash of culinary adventure, making Blue Apron an excellent choice for vegetarians.

With all the recipes listed in Blue Apron’s cookbook, how on earth will you be watching out for the best recipe?

We took the liberty of reviewing some of their recipes and we’re suggesting two of the top-rated recipes from their list.

With over 10,000 orders and ratings, here are their best sellers to date.

1. Chrissy Teigen’s Sesame Chicken Noodles with Bok Choy. (2 Servings • 970 cal • 30 mins prep time •)

You know it’s going to be a good meal if you can see Chrissy Teigen’s name with the recipe. Blue Apron has made a great move to partner with the TV personality and noted celebrity cook, Chrissy Teigen. Cook up a meal this easy and get your kits for nutty and sesame-filled noodles with tahini and sambal sauce lathered in chicken and bok choy on top of fettuccine. Pair up this meal that packs a punch and heat with a citrusy, bright, and fresh Anne Amie Vineyard’s Müller-Thurgau and balance the whole experience. Let Blue Apron take care of this for you.

2. Seared Steaks & Homemade Steak Sauce (2 Servings • 710 cal • 45 mins prep time •)

With over 10,000 reviews, this meal kit is definitely one to order. Make your own steak sauce by following Blue Apron’s recipe and combine soy glaze, ketchup, brown sugar, and even add up your own touch to elevate your steaks! Complete the dish with a side of cheesy mashed potatoes and sauteed carrots. What else would go well with steaks but red wine? Take up Blue Apron’s suggestion and order yourself a Vermillion red wine to compliment your meal.

Read More: Green Chef Review

Start ordering your meal kits with Blue Apron and experience their customer service. Signature dishes come in 2 to 4 servings per week. Serving for 2 people would only cost $9.99/serving, weekly meal kits would range from $47.95 for 2 recipes to $79.92 for 4 recipes. Shipping fees only apply to 2 recipes per week.

With the same price per serving, Blue Apron’s Vegetarian meal plans offer 2 to 3 recipes only per week with a shipping fee only applied to 2 recipes.

Wines at Blue Apron

Blue Apron has devised an ingenious idea of making your meal kits more special by adding a selection of complimenting wines.

You can choose to pick your own wines at $10 per bottle and have them delivered in bulk of 6 500 ml wines of your own choice or let Blue Apron choose for you as they suggest the best pair for selected recipes.

In each meal kit with a bottle of wine that you will be ordering, you will also get cue cards containing a guide to walk you through the story of your wine, together with its accentuating notes.

Blue Apron’s delivery locations

Since the launching of Blue Apron, they have continuously expanded on their delivery capacities and are now able to deliver within the contiguous parts of the United States.

Delivery dates would depend on your preference and Blue Apron allows you to choose when to deliver the items within the week.

Although able to deliver in most parts of the United States, Blue Apron has currently limited delivery locations for their wines.

Blue Apron features

Early on, before the Pandemic, there were some initial concerns about their limited range of recipes.

However, Blue Apron made it its responsibility to engage its customers feedback and create a long-lasting solution to their complaints.

On October 26, 2020, they introduced a new customization feature, addressing the call for more flexibility in their meal kits.

With this new feature, you’re now able to experiment and personalize your meals. This enables you to modify the 2- and 4-serving Signature meal kits, allowing you to add, replace, or upgrade ingredients as you wish.

This ability to adjust the meal kits according to personal preference allows you the flexibility you desire and grants you the propensity to increase the portion of a specific ingredient or substitute proteins or any other ingredients to better suit your taste.

An exciting aspect of this feature is that it provides the opportunity to choose more premium proteins, taking your meals up a notch.

However, be aware that customizing your meals will incur an additional cost. Blue Apron’s estimated extra charges range from $0.95 to $5.95 per serving, depending on the specific customizations made.

The cost of every meal on Blue Apron depends on the number of servings per week you opt for. While they offer you fresh and organically sourced recipes, their pricing plans are unbelievably fair and worth every dime you spend.

The company offers flexibility and transparency in its pricing, making it simple for you to select the best plan that fits your budget and dietary needs without skipping on quality and satisfaction.

Here’s a look at their pricing structure with a simplified table to give you an idea of what to expect based on their wellness meal plan for 2 and 4 servings, respectively:

Plan	Servings/Week	Price/Serving	Price/Day	Shipping	Total Price/Week
Wellness	2 Servings (2 recipes)	$11.99	$8.27	$9.99	$57.95
Wellness	2 Servings (3 recipes)	$9.99	$9.99	$9.99	$69.93
Wellness	2 Servings (4 recipes)	$9.49	$12.27	$9.99	$85.91
Wellness	4 Servings (2 recipes)	$9.49	$12.27	$9.99	$85.91
Wellness	4 Servings (3 recipes)	$8.49	$15.98	$9.99	$111.87
Wellness	4 Servings (4 recipes)	$7.99	$19.69	$9.99	$137.83
Wellness	4 Servings (5 recipes)	$7.99	$24.25	$9.99	$169.79

Considering the quality of ingredients, the diversity of their recipes, and the convenience they offer, Blue Apron’s pricing is quite considerable and competitive when compared with other meal delivery services.

Their pricing reflects not just the cost of ingredients, but the research and development that goes into each recipe, the work to source ingredients from family-run farms, and the delivery right to your doorstep.

Blue Apron’s meal kits present an excellent balance of quality and value, and their monthly cost is a reflection of this balance.

Assuming you’re opting for the Wellness plan for 4, which provides 4 recipes a week, the cost is $7.99 per serving. Therefore, the total cost for a week is $127.84 (excluding shipping).

This means, in a month you should expect to spend around $511.36 considering we have four weeks in a month. Here’s a simple representation:

Plan	Cost Per Serving	Weekly Cost	Monthly Cost	Shipping	Total
Blue Apron’s Wellness for 4	$7.99	$127.84	$511.36	$9.99 (x4)	$551.32

This might look like a substantial amount, but remember, this plan provides 16 complete meals per week, or 64 meals a month.

When you break it down, the cost is quite reasonable, especially considering the high-quality ingredients and varied, chef-designed recipes that you receive.

Absolutely, the flavor and quality of their meals often receive high praise. One of the reasons for this is because of the high-quality, farm-fresh ingredients they use.

The company sources sustainably farmed and seasonal produce, high-quality meats, and specialty ingredients that may be hard to find in your local grocery store.

Though taste can be subjective in the sense that what one person enjoys, another might not. With Blue Apron’s wide array of recipes and the flexibility to choose your meals each week, you’re sure to find many dishes that suit your palate.

Blue Apron meals are designed to be relatively easy to prepare, even for those who may not be very experienced in the kitchen.

Their meals typically take anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes to prepare, depending on the complexity of the recipe.

Best part? Each meal kit comes with step-by-step instructions, including images, to guide you through the cooking process.

Take, for example, the preparation of Zesty Pork Chorizo Tacos with Lime Mayo and Garlic-Cotija Potatoes. This process is simple, requiring only a few basic kitchen tools: a large pan, a medium pot, a zester (for zesting the lime if you wish), a knife for chopping and slicing, and a cutting board.

While there are several steps involved in preparing this meal for a rich, restaurant-quality taste, none of them are particularly complex, and the detailed instructions provided by Blue Apron will make it easy for you to follow along.

Plus, the delicious end result makes the effort well worth it!

One of the most interesting components of Blue Apron is their consistent desire to reward both their new and existing customer base with discounts.

These promotional offers and discounts have made Blue Apron not just an avenue for culinary exploration, but also a cost-effective solution for many households.

With this PROMO CODE, you can enjoy as much as $110 off across your first 5 orders, plus free shipping on your first order.

Similarly, this PROMO CODE allows you to enjoy up to 13 free meals across 5 orders, as well as free shipping on your very first order.

It is important to note that while these coupon codes and promotional offers are available now and active, they may not be so later on (depending on when you’re reading this). It’s best to visit their website to enjoy any of their most current discounts and offers.

Yes, Blue Apron meal plans are designed to be flexible and accommodating for various household needs. However, whether their meal plans would be worth it for your family largely depends on your needs, including your family’s lifestyle, dietary preferences, time available for meal preparation, and budget.

Blue Apron offers different plans even large ones that can serve as much as 4 people, with a choice of either 2, 3, 4, or 5 recipes per week.

So for a family of 4 looking to relish 3, 4 or 5 recipes every week, the daily, weekly and monthly costs for these plan variations would be:

3 Meals a Week

Should you choose to go for three meals per week with Blue Apron, you’d be looking at a considerable commitment in terms of both cost and preparation time.

For a family of four, this would equate to a weekly cost of $111.87 (assuming an average cost of $8.49 per serving) and around $447.48 per month.

Each meal typically takes between 30-45 minutes to prepare, so you should anticipate dedicating about 1.5 to 2.25 hours per week for meal preparation and cooking.

4 Meals a Week

Similarly, opting for four meals per week for a family of four with Blue Apron would increase your investment in both money and preparation time.

This equates to a weekly cost of $137.83 (assuming that it costs $7.99 per serving) and a monthly cost of approximately $551.32 for a family of four.

Given that each meal takes between 30-45 minutes to prepare, your total weekly time investment for meal preparation and cooking would likely be about 2 to 3 hours.

5 Meals a Week

Choosing five meals per week for a family of four would mark a significant increase in cost and time commitment.

This would lead to a weekly cost of about $169.79 (assuming an average cost of $7.99 per serving), which will inevitably result in a monthly cost of approximately $679.16 for a family of four.

As for the time commitment, you would need to set aside approximately 2.5 to 3.75 hours per week for meal preparation and cooking.

It’s worth noting that these estimates might vary depending on the exact recipes chosen, as some meals might require more or less preparation and cooking time. But the general idea remains: the more meals you plan to prepare with Blue Apron, the greater the cost and time commitment will be.

To order from Blue Apron on your desktop or pc, you can follow these easy steps.

1. Open an account with your email address. You can choose to use your email address or sign Up with Facebook.

2. After signing up, you will be redirected to a page where you will be asked to choose the number of meals and servings you want per week.

3. After choosing the number of meals and servings you want, you will be prompted to choose a delivery date. You can decide to skip this step for later after you’ve fully decided when you’d prefer they send you your package. You can simply set the schedule and continue.

4. After appointing your preferred schedule for delivery, you’ll be navigated to a page where you will be requested to fill in your billing details as seen below.

After that, you can then proceed to select and order your meals, which all have their fixed prices from the menu available to you.

Ordering meals from Blue Apron via a mobile device is a convenient option for those with busy schedules.

The platform’s mobile application is designed to provide an easy, user-friendly experience for customers on the go and is available to users on both the Google Play Store and the App Store.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

1. Download and Open the App: Search for the Blue Apron app in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). After the installation, open the app on your mobile device.

2. Create an Account or Log In: If you’re a new user, you’ll need to sign up. If you already have an account, simply log in with your details.

3. Choose Your Plan: Select the meal plan that suits your dietary preferences and the number of people you’re cooking for. You can usually choose between 2-person and family plans.

4. Select Your Meals: Browse through the diverse menu options and select the meals you want to order for the week.

5. Check Out: Once you’ve made your selections, proceed to the checkout. You’ll need to enter your delivery information and payment details, as well as your most convenient day for delivery.

6. Wait for Your Delivery: After placing your order, all you need to do is wait for your delivery. The app will provide updates on the delivery status, so you’ll know exactly when to expect your meal kit.

If you find that you need to cancel your Blue Apron subscription for any reason, you can easily do so through the following steps:

1. Log into Your Account: Start by logging into your Blue Apron account using this link https://blueapron.com/cancel_subscription (it will take you directly to your ‘Manage Your Account’ page for easy access). Please note that cancellations can’t be done through the app, they must be done via the web portal.
2. Cancel Subscription: You will then be directed to a page that displays your current subscription status. Here, you’ll find the option to ‘Cancel Subscription’. Click on it.
3. Follow Prompts and Confirm: Blue Apron will ask you to confirm your decision and may also ask for feedback about why you’re cancelling. Follow the prompts to finalize the cancellation.

Remember, you need to cancel before the ‘Changeable Before’ date for the upcoming delivery, as displayed on the ‘Upcoming’ page in your account. Otherwise, you may still be charged for the next scheduled delivery.

After cancellation, you will receive an email confirming that your subscription has been cancelled.

Despite all these beautiful features of Blue Apron and its magnanimous offerings, you may still be looking for alternatives, perhaps for different culinary options, pricing structures, or a dietary preference that suits your needs.

Whatever your reasons may be, we will be showing you two alternatives to Blue Apron that provide comparable services:

HelloFresh

Like Blue Apron, HelloFresh delivers pre-portioned ingredients straight to your door, along with easy-to-follow recipes.

Their meals are similarly balanced and nutritious, but they often provide a broader range of weekly options, catering to diverse dietary needs.

Sun Basket

Sun Basket’s focus is on organic and sustainable ingredients, mirroring Blue Apron’s commitment to high-quality, fresh produce and quality recipes.

However, Sun Basket stands out with its offering of more diet-specific plans, such as Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Diabetes-Friendly, making it a good fit for those with specific dietary goals.

Aside from prioritizing the freshness of their ingredients, Blue Apron values the aspect of learning how to cook and discover new ideas, thus their name.

Blue Apron ensures the quality and safety of their services by having an elaborate food safety plan ensuring control over their services.

They also support family-run farms by sourcing the ingredients you get in your meal kits from them.

With over a hundred hand-picked family-run farms supplying for Blue Apron, quality standards have been raised to ensure that the customer is getting nothing but the best of what they order.

 

Related posts:

• Home Chef vs. Blue Apron
• HelloFresh vs. Blue Apron
• Blue Apron vs. Sun Basket vs. HelloFresh
• Freshly vs. Blue Apron
• Honest In-Depth Review of Sun Basket, Blue Apron, and HelloFresh
• How to Cancel Blue Apron plan